The air quality in the Delhi-NCR region persisted in the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) registering at 303 during the morning hours. This concerning trend results from a combination of factors, including low temperatures, calm winds, and ongoing farm fires in nearby states.
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) reported specific AQI values for various locations in Delhi. Notably, the AQI in the Delhi University area was recorded at 335, while Pusa reported a reading of 242. Other regions showed varying levels of air pollution, with IIT Delhi at 306, the Airport area at 313, and Mathura Road at 173. In neighboring areas, Noida recorded an AQI of 308, while Gurugram’s air quality was rated at 249.
The AQI scale categorizes air quality as follows: 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), and 401-500 (severe).
Simultaneously, the national capital experienced a drop in minimum temperature, with the mercury falling to 16.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts a maximum temperature of 31.5 degrees Celsius during the day. Notably, Sunday saw the season’s lowest temperature in Delhi at 15.6 degrees Celsius.
In response to the ongoing air quality concerns, the Delhi government recently identified eight new pollution hotspots in the city. The government plans to develop action plans for these areas and deploy special teams to monitor pollution sources. The newly identified hotspots include Shadipur, ITO, Mandir Marg, Nehru Nagar, Patparganj, Sonia Vihar, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, and Moti Bagh.
Delhi’s environment minister, Gopal Rai, stated that separate winter action plans have been devised for these hotspots, and field inspections will be carried out on October 25 to address pollution concerns.
In 2018, the government had first identified 13 pollution hotspots in the city, which consistently recorded higher annual PM 2.5 concentrations compared to Delhi’s average. These locations include Anand Vihar, Mundka, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, RK Puram, Rohini, Punjabi Bagh, Okhla, Bawana, Vivek Vihar, Narela, Ashok Vihar, and Dwarka.
Sources By Agencies
